NEW YORK -- Darin Erstad, the major leagues' hits leader, left the Anaheim Angels' game Saturday against the New York Yankees with a muscle spasm in his left rib cage.

	Erstad

"Hopefully, he's not going to be out any extended period of time," manager Mike Scioscia said after the Angels' 9-1 loss. "He said it felt like a little knot up there in his ribs. He didn't feel it before the game. He thought it was something that happened in the early innings."

Erstad, who has 189 hits, was replaced by pinch-hitter Orlando Palmeiro in the fourth inning. Erstad, who struck out in his only at-bat, is listed as day to day.

A former punter for the University of Nebraska, Erstad is one of the toughest players in the league. The All-Star outfielder is hitting .357 with 21 homers and 84 RBI this season and is in reach of a couple of records.

He needs 15 RBI to break Nomar Garciaparra's 1997 record for most runs driven in by a leadoff hitter and is on pace for 252 career hits -- five shy of George Sisler's 1920 record.

But if he misses any extended period of time, those record pursuits could be in jeopardy.

"Naturally we're concerned because by the time he says something during a game there is usually a bone sticking out," Scioscia said. "Hopefully, this is something we're nipping in the bud rather than playing catchup when it's grown into a full-blown injury."

On Friday, Erstad made a spectacular, game-saving catch in the 10th inning before winning the game for the Angels with a homer in the 11th.